1. Field
The following description relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave oven having a temperature measuring apparatus capable of measuring the temperature inside a cooking compartment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A microwave oven is a cooking apparatus in which radio-frequency waves being generated from a magnetron are radiated to the inside of a cooking compartment to repeatedly change the arrangement of molecules of moisture contained in food such that the food is cooked by the frictional heat generated between the molecules.
The microwave oven is provided with a body forming the external appearance thereof, and the interior space of the microwave oven is partitioned by an inner case having a rectangular shape into an inside (a cooking compartment) of the inner case and an outside (a machinery compartment) of the inner case. A tray is installed on the bottom of the inside of the cooking compartment to enable rotation while having food placed thereon, and the tray is rotated by a motor being installed at the outer surface of the bottom of the cooking compartment. In addition, the machinery compartment is provided with a magnetron configured to generate radio-frequency waves and to radiate the generated radio-frequency waves to the inside of the cooking compartment, and provided with a high-voltage transformer and a high-voltage condenser to supply the magnetron with high voltage power.
When the microwave oven operates through such a structure, the radio-frequency wave generated from the magnetron is radiated to the inside of the cooking compartment and to the food being rotated together with the tray, so that the cooking of food is achieved.
Typically, the method of cooking food using a microwave oven may be achieved in two types of cooking methods. In a first example, the output of power and the cooking time are determined based on a predetermined algorithm according to the type and amount of food, and in a second example, the cooking is performed in the course of observing the state of food. In the second example of the cooking method, which is performed in the course of observing the state of food, the efficient use of energy is ensured and an appropriate cooking is achieved when compared to the first example. However, if a method of determining the state of the food is not precise, for example, a method of measuring the temperature of the food, the food may be undercooked or overcooked, causing an inefficient operation. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of precisely measuring the temperature of food capable of correctly determining the state of food to obtain a desired result of cooking.